Lemons fruiting in the summer sun

Risotto.

Even the name sounds vaguely exotic and mysterious, conjuring images of Tuscany, tree-ripened olives, flaggons of wine, picnic tables spread with linen cloths and lemons fruiting in the summer sun.

Or is that just me?

Well, whatever the case, it is an almost **transcendental** experience to have a meal fully prepared and waiting for me when I get home. But such was - again! - the case tonight. Man, I am a lucky gal! :)

I arrived home after a long day toiling with code and HTML email campaigns - yeah, right! - to find that My Beloved had prepared a summer squash, mushroom and lemon risotto. He was, methinks, demonstrating his culinary prowess to his (visiting) father, but hey I'll take it!

This was the result:



He paired it with a very nice South African (!) Sauvignon Blanc and had a backup Merlot waiting in the wings. OK, we didn't really _need_ the merlot, but it was a nice touch, given that it's coming to the end of the week and I am yearning - YEARNING - for the weekend.

I'm ticked tonight that I have managed to miss my first try-out at the Iron Cupcake Challenge, but I guess something had to give. Things have been busy the last few weeks, so I suppose that this slipped off the table. It's a shame, but it makes me determined to enter next month. Wouldn't that be something - if a vegan cupcake won?

:: smile ::

Stay Vegan, Friends!

Delayed Gratification....

The new edition of VegNews arrived yesterday. I was so excited, I just wanted to curl up in a chair - or better still in my bed - and read it cover to cover. Since my Father-in-Law is visiting us, however, I was forced to 'delay the gratification' and subsequently got to read about 3 pages once I'd crawled into bed around midnight.

However, on those three pages, I did see two Very Exciting (and multiple 'exciting') things:


Mimicreme

and



Dr Cow, which - it transpires - has an especially endearing website.

I am excited about the Mimicreme simply because I do like to make the occasional batch of ice cream and have found the texture of soymilk-based ice creams to be a bit grainy at times. Coconut milk is an alternative to be sure, but sometimes you don't want that specific flavour. So Mimicreme looks like it could be just the ticket for this! It is available in sweetened and unsweetened versions, so will be great in soups, sauces...anywhere you'd normally use cream from cows' milk. Yeah!

And cheese. Well, do I need to say anything really? A nut-based vegan cheese which actually looks somewhat like its traditional dairy counterpart? Man, I am soooooooo thrilled. Like many folks out there, I did used to **love** cheese and I was even one of those people who would declare expansively 'Oooh, but I could NEVER give up my cheese!!!!'

'Blue' cheese:



But, oh yes, I could! And perhaps Dr Cow is now my reward???



Happy Mofo Tuesday and Stay Vegan, Friends!

Monday MoFo: Food Group 'Pizza'

It's a Monday evening stand-by: pizza.

It *was* going to be roasted garlic and white bean soup but, to be honest, after work today I really wanted some junk food comfort! So, I went to Curves, sweated around the circuit, and then came home to help in the making of this:



This was an adobo chili base with sliced vegan sausage, onions, garlic-roasted tomatoes and Vegan-rella (mozzarella). The second one we made* didn't photograph well, but in essence it was mushrooms and onion with a dried black bean and cucumber base. I really must post the recipe for that base thingy at some stage because not only is it great on pizzas, but also as a side dish, in paninis, in quesadillas, etc etc etc

With a nod to 'the other food groups', I also made a huge salad of green leafies, heirloom tomatoes, avocado, red onions, radishes, cucumber and kalamata olives. My Beloved whipped up a balsamic vinaigrette and we were good to go.

And now, it being Monday and me already yearning for the weekend, it is time to go.

To bed.

With a nice cuppa tea.

And a book.

So, until tomorrow, Stay Vegan, Friends! :)

* My Father-in-Law is vacationing with us right now - hence the duplicity of pizzas. Hey - is that a collective noun? - a duplicity of pizzas?????

The Incredible Edible Egg?

Omelette?

Fried egg?

Scrambled egg?

Soft boiled egg with toast soldiers?

Or perhaps tofu and the right to a clear conscience?



Having the choice: priceless.

Stay Vegan, Friends!